Johann Leopold von Hay

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Johann Leopold Hay, lithograph by Faustin Herr, 1839
Coat of arms Johann Leopold von Hay, Bishop of Königgrätz (1780–1794)

Johann Leopold von Hay (also: Johann Leopold Ritter von Hay ; Czech: Jan Leopold z Haye ; born April 22, 1735 in Fulnek , † June 1, 1794 in Chrast ) was Bishop of Königgrätz .

Career

As the son of a magistrate, he studied theology in Olomouc after attending the Piarist high school , where he was ordained a priest on September 23, 1758. He was then secretary to Bishops Leopold II. Friedrich von Egkh and Hungersbach and Maximilian von Hamilton and rose to become consistorial assessor. In 1770 he became chapter dean and pastor of the church “Our Lady” in Kremsier . In 1775 he was knighted and appointed provost of the Nikolsburg chapter.

From Nikolsburg he came into contact with representatives of Viennese reform Catholicism . Probably for this reason he was appointed by Maria Theresa to a commission to investigate and eliminate the causes of religious unrest and converts to Protestantism in Moravian Wallachia . With the permission of the Empress, he took up his permanent residence in Vsetín , where he initiated pastoral measures in order to bring the peasant population back to the Catholic Church. Since he rejected harsh methods, pastoral care should be improved through the use of additional priests and conversion should take place through the Holy Scriptures and the Jansenist catechism . With the support of the Empress, he also had Czech Bibles distributed.

Bishop of Königgrätz

In recognition of his services, Empress Maria Theresa nominated Johann Leopold von Hay as Bishop of Königgrätz on July 29, 1780 in her capacity as King of Bohemia, which was also considered a religiously endangered region. The papal confirmation of December 11th d. J. was consecrated as a bishop in Vienna on March 11, 1781 by Archbishop Migazzi .

As a bishop, Hay confessed to reform Catholicism and the tolerance patent issued by Joseph II , for which he campaigned for understanding among his clergy , emphasizing respect for those of different faiths. Although he resented his attitude in the curia and in church conservatism circles, Joseph II appointed him in 1782 as commissioner for the supervision and implementation of the tolerance patent in East Bohemia.

As a result of the change of diocesan borders initiated by Joseph II in 1783, the Diocese of Königgrätz received 141 parishes from the district of the Archdiocese of Prague . In 1786, Bishop Hay issued new church regulations and in 1787 initiated the construction of a priest's house, where the Königgrätzer priesthood candidates were to be trained in pastoral care after completing the Prague General Seminary. The lack of priests was also to be countered with the establishment of the Königgrätzer Minorite Monastery in 1788. In 1786 Hay ordained the Slavist Josef Dobrovský as a priest after he had been refused by the Archbishop of Prague Wilhelm Florentin von Salm-Salm and recommended him as rector of the Moravian General Seminary, which was housed in the Hradisko monastery.

In order to improve the economic situation of his subordinates, Hay promoted the imparting of knowledge in agriculture and animal husbandry. His concerns also included feeding the poor and distributing marriage equipment for poor girls. From his own resources, he financed the lessons for female handicraft at several schools. After his death he was revered for a long time for his charitable work.

literature

predecessor Office successor
Joseph Adam of Arco Bishop of Königgrätz
1780 - 1794 		Maria Thaddäus von Trautmannsdorff
personal data
SURNAME Hay, Johann Leopold von
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Hay, Johann Leopold Ritter von; Jan Leopold z Haye
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Bishop of Königgrätz
DATE OF BIRTH April 22, 1735
PLACE OF BIRTH Fulnek
DATE OF DEATH June 1, 1794
Place of death Chrast